Ladies' Choice
by geekmama
Summary: Elizabeth and Anamaria take a swim. Written per Berne's request on the Polyficathon on Live Journal.


**_ Ladies' Choice _**

The pale, crisp blues of sea and sky, the smoky black sails and the ebon decks, all seemed of another reality in contrast to the intense beauty amid which they walked. This secret place, a mile inland from the nondescript cove where the _Black Pearl_ lay at anchor, was an Eden the like of which Elizabeth had scarcely imagined. She stared about her, almost in disbelief.

"Jack brought you here?"

"Aye." A little smile hovered on Anamaria's lips as she remembered. "Years ago. Right after he'd got the _Pearl_ back. He set Gibbs and the others to takin' on water and fresh fruit, an' to do some fishing – there's no swine runnin' wild here, not much huntin' of any kind. But he says, 'Ana, yer with me. Somethin' I want to show you'. And he brought me here, to swim, an'…you know."

She did, indeed, know. _Something he wanted to show her_. Ha! Elizabeth could see in her mind's eye the waggle of dark brows and suggestive leer that had likely accompanied that peremptory command. But having brought Ana here, Jack must have known that even the sight of his undeniably alluring self would be eclipsed by these surroundings.

Treasure, caught in the heart of a volcanic island. Sheer heights rose before them, a veil of waterfall tipping over the edge above to drift into a wide, rippling, sapphire pool. There was grass and water-smooth stone, the whole of it softened and shaded by trees and flowering shrubs. Elizabeth had a sudden wish that her father's head gardener, old John Trilby, could see it. An amateur botanist with the heart of a poet, the man would be capering in delight at the variety of shapes and hues found here: lavender, pink, white, yellow, gold, and several reds, from the delicate crimson of poppies to some tiny, waxy, five-petaled blossoms that were nearly the color of blood.

And Jack had brought Ana here, once upon a time… and had given them _both_ a shove in this direction today. Elizabeth nearly laughed aloud. That _pirate!_

She turned to Ana. "Do you mind?" she asked, and then winced a little at the bluntness of this.

But Ana didn't seem disturbed by it, and, what's more, knew exactly what she meant. "Mind? You and Jack? No. It's been a while, for us, and he needed someone. Someone special, all his own."

A shiver of happiness touched Elizabeth's soul. "Am I that, do you think?"

"'Course you are. What a question. Let's go swimmin'."

"Oh, yes!" Elizabeth agreed, the shiver inside her welling to joy.

Ana's quick hands pulled at her shirt ties, and, unabashed, she jerked it from the waistband of her breeches and stripped it off. Elizabeth's hands on her own shirt stilled, and she could not help staring. Anamaria was beautiful, there was no denying it. Her skin was creamy brown, limned with gold in the sun of the clearing, and marked with a few, rather minor scars—so much more _interesting_ than plain ivory! And her breasts… her whole form, in fact, sleek and sturdy, like some sea-creature.

"I can't believe Jack gave you up," Elizabeth remarked.

"He didn't. I gave him up. More or less." Her smile quirked. "Let's see _you_, Elizabeth Turner."

Elizabeth nodded, then swiftly pulled off her clothing—Jack's clothing, which she'd borrowed, a little large on her, but more comfortable for it. Soon it was a rumpled pile on the grass, with Ana's things, and Elizabeth looked up to find Ana naked, too, and watching her, still smiling.

"That's more'n enough reason, right there, ain't it?" When Elizabeth looked nonplussed, Ana said, "You look like one o' them angels. Without its heavenly robes."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm far too thin."

Ana nodded. "A little, maybe. Jack don't mind, though, and happiness'll put some meat on you. He does know how to make a girl happy – when he decides to set his mind to it. Come on!" She turned and ran to the pool, and dove in, providing Elizabeth a glimpse of a strong back, marked from the lash in some terrible, distant past, a pert backside, and shapely legs and feet.

Elizabeth stuck a toe into the water, but it was cool, not cold, so she plunged in as well, and made an effort to catch up with her friend. Succeeding, the two of them swam together across the wide, clear pool to where a submerged ledge of rock provided a place to sit.

"Nice place, ain't it?" smiled Ana, as Elizabeth climbed up beside her.

"Hardly the superlative I would have chosen. It's like a dream."

Ana nodded. "You an' Jack'll have to put it to its intended use."

"Making love, do you mean?"

"Aye. The native people, they live on the other side of the island mostly, but there's legend among 'em that this is a place of life, to heal broken hearts, renew love gone stale… even gives fertility, from what they say."

"Fertility! Wouldn't Jack like _that_!"

Ana chuckled. "Not so much. But it's a good place for two to come together."

"_Come_ being the operative word," Elizabeth murmured, with a smirk.

Ana gave a bark of laughter. "I like how you just speak your mind like that."

"Why, thank you. It's been a long time since I… since I _felt_ like saying such things."

Ana touched Elizabeth's shoulder. "I know. Will was a good man."

Elizabeth nodded, remembering. But then she turned to Ana. "Jack's a good man, too."

Ana nodded. "In his way, aye. Stole my damn boat, the first time we made love, though. Took me a while to get over that."

"The_ Jolly Mon_. He told me."

"Aye. Bloody sank her, the fool. Could o' sunk _himself_, easy enough! He knew there was a storm comin', and rough weather, an' the _Jolly Mon_ was old and a bit worse for it. All right for fishing 'round Tortuga, which is what I used her for, but he was outta his head sailin' her clear to Jamaica! I told him to keep his hands off it, but he'd heard about the _Interceptor_, and Barbossa bein' back, so that was that. I slapped him good when I saw him next."

"You didn't!"

"'Course I did. What else can you do with such a fella? He'd try the patience of a saint, an' Lord knows I ain't one o' them."

Elizabeth chuckled. "He can be infuriating. But that's what I like about him, I think. That and… well… _you_ know."

Anamaria nodded grimly. "_Temptation, thy name is Sparrow_."

"Precisely," agreed Elizabeth.

They fell silent, each becoming absorbed in thoughts of their beautiful, maddening, and ultimately glorious captain. The noise of the falls and dazzle of the sun on the water contributed further to their feeling of companionable isolation, so that, distanced as they were from the waking world, they were considerably startled when a lithe, bronze figure entered the water in a precipitate manner not ten feet in front of them, having leapt from the height above.

In fact, they were both surprised into feminine shrieks at the shock of it, and at the resulting enormous splash that drenched them both.

"Bloody hell!" exclaimed Anamaria, and bared her teeth.

"Jack!" snapped Elizabeth, and glared at him as he popped to the surface, a huge grin on his face.

He gave a toss of his head, water spraying from his sodden locks. "Hullo, ladies. Fancy meeting you in this remote spot."

"You _sent_ us here!" Elizabeth said tartly, refusing to banter.

Ana growled, "What the devil're you doing jumpin' off cliffs? Ain't you had enough o' that? What'f you'd hit the rocks!"

"Ana, it's thirty feet deep if it's an inch. An' anyway: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Which renders it a moot point, I suppose?" Elizabeth shook her head, narrowing her eyes. She turned to the fuming Anamaria. "Shall we drown him?"

"We'll try!"

Jack's grin changed to a look of comical alarm as they struck out after him. He turned and made a bid to escape but, though he was known to be a fast swimmer, they caught up with him easily enough, and spent a delightful few minutes taking a riotous revenge which involved less drowning and more vigorous splashing, tickling, and an energetic and rather sensual wrestling match, punctuated with stolen kisses.

Finally Jack escaped again, to the grassy shore where he collapsed, laughing. Elizabeth and Anamaria settled on either side of him.

"D'you cry pax, then?" Elizabeth asked, leaning on her elbow. She ran a light finger down, from collarbone to nipple and hooked the heavy gold ring that pierced it, pulling gently.

He gasped. "Aye! Pax. Pax! Oooh, do that again, will you, love?"

Ana kissed him, just to shut him up, though that didn't stop his appreciative hum, or various other signs of enjoyment.

"What have you brought me to, Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth murmured in mock indignation. "This is debauchery of the highest order."

Released by Ana, Jack said, "Aye, it is. Or will be, if you'll have it."

"Shall I go?" Ana said to Elizabeth, quizzically.

Elizabeth arched her brows. "No! Or only if you wish to."

Ana pursed her lips. "You're as bad as he is!"

Jack grinned. "_Pirates_, darlin'. And peas in a pod, just like I said once."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Will would be appalled."

"Aye," said Jack, cheerfully, and looking to the blue Heaven above, addressed his absent friend. "Will, lad, you'd best shut your eyes for a bit. I'll take good care o' the lasses here, my word on't."

"Even as we'll take care of you," Elizabeth smiled.

Ana nodded, her eyes sparkling. "It seems we have an accord."

**o-o-o**

It was nearly dusk when the trio emerged from the trees and started down the beach to join the rest of the Pearls. A bonfire had been lit, and there was a veritable feast laid out for the company's delectation. The sweet sound of O'Brien's fiddle could be heard rising over the breaking surf.

Gibbs met them on their approach, with three pewter mugs that he handed off to them. "A thirsty business, I'll wager. You were gone long enough. Did you do some explorin', then?"

Ana chuckled, and Elizabeth choked a bit, but Jack replied, with typical insouciance, "Aye, we did. Uncharted territory, discoveries, adventures… it's been quite an afternoon. And you're right: a thirsty business." He turned to his companions and raised his mug, his eyes warm. "Ladies, a toast: to both of you, my beautiful and intrepid fellow-explorers -- and to the memory of a perfect day."

**o-o-o-o-o**


End file.
